Week 5 EBP Qualitative Research Credibility, Transferability, Dependability, and Confirmability

Credibility

• Definition: An evaluation of whether the research findings represent a credible conceptual interpretation of the data.
  • Reflects truthfulness and believability of the findings.
• Considerations:
  • Do the descriptions provided by participants align with the researcher's explanation?
• Technique to Enhance Credibility: Member Checking
  • Definition: Evaluating the accuracy of transcription by allowing participants to review transcripts.
  • Example from AFL Injury Study (Ruddock-Hudson, O’Halloran, & Murphy, 2012):
    • One-quarter of the sample was randomly selected and sent copies of transcripts for review.
    • The article included quotes exemplifying themes, such as:
      • Theme: ‘The influence of social support’
      • Quote: "My family has always been there to provide me with support…The medical staff were great when I was injured."
• Technique to Enhance Credibility: Triangulation
  • Definition: Using at least three methods to crosscheck results.
  • Example: Crosschecking themes from interview transcripts with results of psychometric tests.
    • Psychometric tests measure knowledge, abilities, attitudes, and personality traits.
  • Note: Triangulation was not performed in the Ruddock-Hudson study and was noted as a limitation.
• Abstract of Ruddock-Hudson Study:
  • Explored psychological responses to injury in Australian rules footballers.
  • Forty-three professional AFL players participated in semi-structured interviews.
  • Results detailed AFL players' recalled past injury experiences.
    • Included initial emotional reactions to injury (dependent on severity), isolation during injury, repetitive rehabilitation, and the influence of social support.

Transferability

• Definition: Indicates the extent to which study findings can be generalized or applied to other individuals/groups, contexts, or settings.
• Considerations:
  • Can findings from the AFL injury study be applied to elite female netballers or the workplace?
• Transferability indicates the degree to which qualitative findings inform and facilitate insights within other contexts, other than that in which the research was conducted.
• Limitations Section of Ruddock-Hudson Article:
  • The sample was obtained from only one club.
  • The club culture may have systematically influenced the results.
  • Implication: Results may have limited transferability to other AFL clubs.

Dependability and Confirmability

• Dependability: Assessment of the quality of data collection, data analysis, and theory generation processes.
• Confirmability: Measure of how well the inquiry's findings are supported by the data collected.
• Process to enhance dependability and confirmability:
  • Independent Audit: A competent peer examines original transcripts, data analysis documents, field journals, member checking comments, and the journal manuscript.
  • The auditor evaluates the degree and significance of researcher influence or bias in the interviews.

Qualitative Check-List Tools

• Rigour and trustworthiness of qualitative research can be considered in terms of credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability.
• Guides and instruments exist to support those critiquing qualitative studies.
• CASP Qualitative Checklist: Comprised of 10 questions:
  1. Was there a clear statement of the aims of the research?
  2. Is a qualitative methodology appropriate?
  3. Was the research design appropriate to address the aims of the research?
  4. Was the recruitment strategy appropriate to the aims of the research?
  5. Was the data collected in a way that addressed the research issue?
  6. Has the relationship between researcher and participants been adequately considered?
  7. Have ethical issues been taken into consideration?
  8. Was the data analysis sufficiently rigorous?
  9. Is there a clear statement of findings?
  10. How valuable is the research?